Best Secondary Schools in Hertfordshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 77 schools across Hertfordshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Hertfordshire has 77 open secondary schools. Of the 76 with a published Ofsted inspection, 24 (32%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 91% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Dame Alice Owen's School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Hertfordshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

77
Total schools
24
Outstanding (historic grade)
32%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
63.8%
Avg KS2 SATs
44.1
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Dame Alice Owen's School
Secondary
 Outstanding 98 View school
🥈 Watford Grammar School for Boys
Secondary
 Outstanding 96 View school
🥉 Watford Grammar School for Girls
Secondary
 Outstanding 95 View school
4. Parmiter's School
Secondary
 Outstanding 93 View school
5. Sandringham School
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
6. St Clement Danes School
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
7. The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
8. Sir John Lawes School
Secondary
 Outstanding 88 View school
9. Rickmansworth School
Secondary
 Outstanding 86 View school
10. The Bishop's Stortford High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 85 View school
11. Roundwood Park School
Secondary
 Outstanding 84 View school
12. Presdales School
Secondary
 Outstanding 84 View school
13. Hitchin Boys' School
Secondary
 Outstanding 81 View school
14. Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
Secondary
 Outstanding 81 View school
15. Hockerill Anglo-European College
Secondary
 Good 79 View school
16. Yavneh College
Secondary
 Good 79 View school
17. The Broxbourne School
Secondary
 Outstanding 79 View school
18. Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
Secondary
 Outstanding 75 View school
19. The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
Secondary
 Good 75 View school
20. Ashlyns School
Secondary
 Good 75 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Hertfordshire

Best primary schools in HertfordshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in HertfordshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in HertfordshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in HertfordshireReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in LutonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in EnfieldCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BarnetCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HarrowCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Hertfordshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Hertfordshire?
There are 77 open secondary schools in Hertfordshire (closed schools are excluded). 24 of the 76 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Hertfordshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Hertfordshire is Dame Alice Owen's School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Hertfordshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Hertfordshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Hertfordshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Hertfordshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.